Pierce Student Nebraska State Quarter Design Semifinalist
Way to go Kyle!
September 03, 2004
Kyle Rohrich is a ninth grader at Pierce High, who last year in his communications class, created a design proposal for the official Nebraska state quarter. Rohrich did the work to fulfill an assignment given by his teacher, Ms. Crystal Hemphill, and recently he learned his design is one of the 50 semifinalists in the design contest, featured on the official website.
The design on Rohrich's coin features a pair of sandhill cranes flying over hills. On the right the hills are covered with trees, and the sun is rising over the hills. The inscription is: "Land of the Sandhill Crane and Home to Arbor Day."
In preparing for the assignment, Rohrich thought about what makes Nebraska unique and remembered seeing the cranes flying when he went to Kearney with his family. He knew the cranes live in only Nebraska and Texas, and he thought, too, of Nebraska's Arbor Day. He said he looked at some pictures of cranes to help him draw the design, he does notice designs and logos, and he enjoys drawing maps. He felt enthusiastic about "someone in the class" having a chance in the design contest because he was impressed with what some of them handed in for their assignment.
Hemphill, too, was enthusiastic. "Some had really good designs," she said. "The kids had a good grasp of what Nebraska life is really like." She sent in over fifty entries.
Rohrich said he enjoyed the project more than most homework assignments, and he drew four or five designs, before choosing one to finish for the assignment.
Success is not new to this young man, who earned second place last year in the NE history and Geography contest, was in the top 10 in the NE Geographic Bee, made honor band and honor choir, and was captain of the ESU 8 champion quiz bowl team from Pierce.
The top five finalists from the contest were chosen by internet voting. Kyle's design was not among the top five, but PHS is proud he made the semi-finals. Way to go Kyle!
You may look at other designs by pointing your web browser to www.sos.state.ne.us/QuarterDesign/QuarterDesignsalbum/index.htm
